Tag Archives: Bulldog

A couple of weeks ago, we took Abby with us to Martha’s Vineyard and as you can see by the above picture, she was more interested in the food she managed to find in my bag than the beautiful scenery around her.

We got lucky because the day turned out to be beautiful and we had a chance to walk around and enjoy the weather. When we got home, we were all exhausted, but happy.

Who said Harvard is only for humans? We took Abby this past weekend to Harvard to walk, do some sightseeing, take pictures and, of course, continue working on her commands and behavior. How did she do? Not bad.

The day was beautiful but because Abby is dark and part Bulldog, I had to stop for breaks so she wouldn’t overheat. This is very important specially for those pet parents that have dogs with dark fur:-)

We were hanging around the library, and after a break Abby got her second wind and decided to run around like a looney, of course, attracting the stares of those passing by. As you can see, she didn’t have a care in the world. A lesson for us, humans, to learn from our doggies.

After all that running, it was time to hydrate and relax for a bit. We then headed home for a late lunch and a nap. What a hard life we have.

My Alex was an amazing dog and even though she was part Pit Bull she was the friendliest dog I’ve ever met, and I want Abby to be like Alex. Now, please understand that some dogs, just like people, are more friendly than others. Dogs are individuals.

Abby to Roxie, “Let me help you. I think you have a little bit of food around this side of your face. Why do you have to be so tall?”

Abby – a Beagle/Bulldog mix – is naturally friendly. I’d say overly friendly, but even like that I expose her to different dogs, such as cutie pie Roxie. The more your dog interacts with other dogs the better and more relaxed she will be. Enjoy your weekend.

Let me start by saying, thanks to all the veterans, their families and the dogs that served this country. Cynthia and I were in the Navy years ago, and we both met amazing people and learned a lot from them.

We were planning to go out with the kids, but after a short walk, about 1/2 hour, Abby and Emmie both seemed tired so we decided to forgo our outing today and do it sometime this week.

Anyway, Emmie showed us what she wanted to do today, vegetate, and we decided to follow her lead. Enjoy your weekend.

On Sunday, we went to Blue Hills Ski Area located in Canton, MA to do a little hiking and sightseeing but also to see how Abby would behave or in her case misbehave.

Picture courtesy of Cynthia, our own photographer:-)

We did a lot of walking, but the day was quite conducive to being outdoors, a bit cloudy with a nice breeze and with an amazing view.

Abby, “Mom, am I supposed to pose for this picture? Where’s my treat?”

We all enjoyed our outing, but I think Abby enjoyed it the most. She met a lot of people, dogs, and scents that would bring the Beagle out of her. How did she do? She did well. But, we still need to continue working on behavior. Before I forget, she tried to eat a french fry she found on the floor. I said she tried because I was able to get it out of her mouth before she ate it.

Abby, “Mom, let me kiss you.” Cynthia, “No!”

Abby is a handful, but she is a really nice puppy. Just like our Alex, Abby is friendly to all dogs and people. One thing surprised me though, Abby greeted all the humans she met along our hiking path with all paws on terra firma. Yay! As you can see, Abby is improving.

We enjoy going to Malibu beach because we see lots of pet parents with their furry kids walking around, people with kids, and so much more. I want us to make new memories with Abby so I thought this was a good place to start. Abby certainly seemed to enjoy it.

Abby, “Hello. Is anybody there?”

Being that she is part Beagle, it was funny to see her use her nose although on the above picture I am sure she was using mostly her eyes.

Abby, “Moms, I think Alex was right when she said that she saw a sea monster. I think I found one of my own.”

Abby was curious and wanted to explore everything including what she saw in the water. But as curious as she was Abby didn’t leave our sight.

Abby, “Moms, I think I caught a fish for dinner tonight.”

We still miss Alex and there are times when Cynthia and I remember something funny she did and we start laughing and end up crying, but then we remember that we did have Alex for 13 amazing years and that little by little we’ll have to start making memories with our new furry kid. Abby is a year old and there is so much for her to learn and enjoy so we’ll continue our journey with this feisty Beabull girl and make new memories.

Abby, at the beginning, didn’t know or understand that once we were home she was not allowed to run like crazy, nip people, grab things off of the floor as toys, etc. Well, time went by, 9 weeks, and she is starting to understand that certain things are expected of her if she wants to help Cynthia cook.

Abby, “Mom, I am not presentable and you are distracting me from helping mom Cynthia finish cooking our meal.”

I like to have Abby in the kitchen when Cynthia is cooking because this is the perfect time to work on behavior. How? Well, for one, she is not allowed to jump while Cynthia cooks; for two, she is to keep those beautiful teeth away from nipping or biting; and lastly, she is not to frantically pace back and forth. This is not basic training but rather behavior modification.

Marcela, “This is Abby letting me know in no uncertain terms that she is not happy that I am not saying that she is perfect.”

I also like Abby to be in the kitchen because I want her to get used to the different sounds and smells that are typical in a kitchen. Abby, so far, has been the hardest puppy I’ve ever had to train and work on behavior modification with, but also the most adorable. Why am I sharing this with you? Because I want you to understand and know that dogs are individuals and as such they learn at their own pace.

Abby, “Mom Cynthia, how much longer before we eat?”

Alex, our pit bull mix, was very easy to train. She got all her obedience cues and behavior, behavior always being the most difficult to achieve, pretty fast and because of that I joined the legions, yes legions, of pet parents that told me that female dogs are smarter than male dogs. By the way, I no longer thing so. Why? Abby proved all those pet parents wrong. If you got a puppy or dog recently, please work with a trainer and/or behaviorist in order to start your canine companion on the right path. Many of the dogs I see in shelters are there because of behavioral problems. Don’t give up on your dog, and find the help of a professional to guide you and teach you how to properly communicate with your dog.